Who's here now?

[Craig Tucker]

My name is Craig Tucker.
I'm a violin maker and I used to post here a lot - then some years went by, where I posted elsewhere, but that option has lost much of its former appeal.

I'm just curious who posts here, or who lurks here now. I've already run into a couple of friends, that I really didn't expect to run into, who are violin makers also.

So I'm curious about who might come here. Anyone?

[Randy Cordle]

Hi Craig, Ain't nobody here but us chickens!

[Craig Tucker]

Hi Craig, Ain't nobody here but us chickens!

Lap steels, banjos, and mando family instruments, huh?

Randy, I hate to say it, but I've heard of you guys and your tarnished reputations before - many things I heard I simply refused to believe.

Is all that true, what they say about you "mando" guys??

Glad to meet you Randy.
And I don't care if all you guys are just a large groupe of chickens.
I can deal with that!

[Mario Proulx]

Mando-guy here...., but I've also built a couple of fiddles, so do I count? Oh, and I use HHG for most everything, if that helps reassure ya.... <g>

[Craig Tucker]

Mando-guy here...., but I've also built a couple of fiddles, so do I count? Oh, and I use HHG for most everything, if that helps reassure ya.... <g>

A High Harmonic Generator? Hmmm, very interesting...

Mario, I believe I remember you from a small, teeny tiny, while ago here.

I am reassured. A couple violins? you're definately in bro.

Tell me something (please) Mario, back when I posted here (Ahem - some years ago...) I remember a fairly good croud of makers here, making violins and posting regularly. Did someone come in here and call them all names?

Did things dry up just a little bit in the violin section? I can deal with it, but it seems just a tad slower now?

gulp!
ct

[Jim McConkey]

I am still on staff after all these years. I took your MIMF violin making class years ago. I repurposed a cheap Chinese violin into an electric (see my avatar) for one of our contests. It's not quite a fiddle, but when I finally get my shop back (we moved recently), a carved-top bowed dulcimer is next on my list. Barry Dudley is probably the most prolific violin maker around here these days, make top notch instruments out of unusually pleasing alternative woods. Maybe you need to offer another class to raise interest!

[Craig Tucker]

I am still on staff after all these years. I took your MIMF violin making class years ago. I repurposed a cheap Chinese violin into an electric (see my avatar) for one of our contests. It's not quite a fiddle, but when I finally get my shop back (we moved recently), a carved-top bowed dulcimer is next on my list. Barry Dudley is probably the most prolific violin maker around here these days, make top notch instruments out of unusually pleasing alternative woods. Maybe you need to offer another class to raise interest!

Wow jim,
I remember most stuff from my past, including posting here - for quite a while.

Three months ago however, I had a stroke. And that added to twenty five years (still) on dialysis, have taken a bit of a toll - which is why I,m having a difficult time remembering that class... I have to wonder, was I knowledgable enough to give a violin making class back then? - I was a maker then, of course, and I remember posting lots of stuff (cold bending comes to mind) Is there anywhere I could look some of that old material up? Once I see something from the past, that I have forgotten, it usually comes crushing back in full. (where I can usually remember what an, ummm, idiot bigmouth I was!

That would be interesting.

Right now thinge are still going very slow, but I might consider posting a bow rehairing class, if I get any interest for one here, and considering that it might take quite a while to prepare. I do still rehair many bows, and that might be a fun project.

Well, thanks Jim (by the way, I do remember YOU, and wonder if you still beat up the members here for fun? Man, those were the days huh?)

Thanks again
Craig T

[Chet Bishop]

Well, Craig, you probably already knew I was here (I'm everywhere, like a bad weed) but I am glad to see you here. You tend to keep things moving better than I do.

Working on a "Plowden" Guarneri del Gesu attempt. Lots of stuff to do before winter, so it is moving kinda slow--like me. This is my first attempt at anything "del Gesu"-ish, though I do have a viola model similar to the Conte Vitale, but that's the wrong Guarneri....

[John E Giarrizzo]

Well, thanks Jim (by the way, I do remember YOU, and wonder if you still beat up the members here for fun? Man, those were the days huh?)

Ya, I remember those days. I've said it many times, and I'm just repeating myself now (I'm getting "older" so it's alright <g>)

This forum --- that is all the people on the forum --- helped me with my first violin in 2001. It was an emotional time for me as my Dad had passed away just as I started it. At least he got to see the fittings for it. You guys helped me get through this extremely emotional grieving period.

Changed my life.

Thanks,

John

[Bill Raymond]

Hi Craig,
We haven't really crossed paths--I've posted in other sections than bowed instruments--but I've read and enjoyed your posts. Closest I've come to violins is I once made a Savart viola. Can't say too much about it, cause I never learned to play the damn thing, but it was fun to build.

[Jim McConkey]

I have to wonder, was I knowledgable enough to give a violin making class back then? - I was a maker then, of course,

Seems my memory is failing also. It was Bill Moll who taught the violin making class here. See more below.

and I remember posting lots of stuff (cold bending comes to mind) Is there anywhere I could look some of that old material up? Once I see something from the past, that I have forgotten, it usually comes crushing back in full.

You should remember our stock answer from years ago: Look in our Libary! Your cold bending rant from 2001 is still there:
Cold bending violin sides: no more cracked or broken ribstock [Pictures]

Right now things are still going very slow, but I might consider posting a bow rehairing class, if I get any interest for one here, and considering that it might take quite a while to prepare. I do still rehair many bows, and that might be a fun project.

You did teach a bow rehairing class here back in 2001. I took that one too, and even rehaired a few bows since. I could use a refresher, though, so allow me to be the first to register for the new rehairing class. I think we would be very interested in a short class like that to drum up interest and participation. I still have most of the original course materials and posts, and Charlie would probably allow me to send them to you if you chose to offer another class.

[Craig Tucker]

Well, Craig, you probably already knew I was here (I'm everywhere, like a bad weed) but I am glad to see you here. You tend to keep things moving better than I do.

Hee hee, It is probably because of my LARGE, ever moving, primordial boca...

Once its open, it's hard to get it to shut again.

Always a pleasure, Chet - so good to see you here!

[Craig Tucker]

Hi Craig,
We haven't really crossed paths--I've posted in other sections than bowed instruments--but I've read and enjoyed your posts. Closest I've come to violins is I once made a Savart viola. Can't say too much about it, cause I never learned to play the damn thing, but it was fun to build.

Thanks Bill,

Savart huh? I once made a savart violin for my guitar playing brother. I called it a guitar-o-lin, still, he never did get tricked into playing it. Oh well, at least I tried.

Very nice to meet you, Bill.

craig T

[Craig Tucker]

Right now things are still going very slow, but I might consider posting a bow rehairing class, if I get any interest for one here, and considering that it might take quite a while to prepare. I do still rehair many bows, and that might be a fun project.

You did teach a bow rehairing class here back in 2001. I took that one too, and even rehaired a few bows since. I could use a refresher, though, so allow me to be the first to register for the new rehairing class. I think we would be very interested in a short class like that to drum up interest and participation. I still have most of the original course materials and posts, and Charlie would probably allow me to send them to you if you chose to offer another class."

It might be interesting to start another bow rehairing explaination post right here, in the violin section...

What about if I were to just start a post on the subject in this section, and depending on the amount of rsponses showing an interest, simply present the steps in photographs and written explainations, in order? Maby it would increase the participation in "violins" section in general? Think maybe?

Think it's worth a shot?

I would probably present rehairing in the manner I do it now, ten years later. Not much different, really, but a few differences. For example, I'm much different.

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but where does it tell how to post photos here in a thread?

[Jim McConkey]

Certainly we could have a "sticky" (permanent) topic here with a bow rehairing tutorial, and it would be a welcome reference.

To post pictures you have to use the Full Editor (not the quick editor at the bottom of each page). The Full Editor button is next to the Submit button for the quick editor. In the full editor, below the text editing area, is another titled Upload Attachment. You hit the Browse button and select the picture you want to post Enter a caption, or description, of the picture in the Comments area, and click the Add the File button. I think you can add up to 3 pictures per post right now. In the Full Editor, you also have a Preview button, to see how the post will look before you actually post it.

[Craig Tucker]

Certainly we could have a "sticky" (permanent) topic here with a bow rehairing tutorial, and it would be a welcome reference.

To post pictures you have to use the Full Editor (not the quick editor at the bottom of each page). The Full Editor button is next to the Submit button for the quick editor. In the full editor, below the text editing area, is another titled Upload Attachment. You hit the Browse button and select the picture you want to post Enter a caption, or description, of the picture in the Comments area, and click the Add the File button. I think you can add up to 3 pictures per post right now. In the Full Editor, you also have a Preview button, to see how the post will look before you actually post it.

Thank you Jim, I think I'll get on it - I have a new computer (HP), and a new camera. A 16 megapixil Nikon Coolpix - which has some interesting features, including a large memory, (1,000,000,000 + infinity photos) So, I could even photograph the entire proceedure on one bow, and then post the photos here as I write the text.

I know it will take me a while, I still work a lot, but I have to say, this stroke was difficult to bounce back from I,ve also got to say that it also showed me how close to the back door we all are, and I've got to say - I,ve seen it a number of times with people around me recently, but it's never like getting that close yourself!!

but a complete rehair post may spark some interest and perhaps some other violin/bow posters in this section. That'd be cool.

Thanks,
Craig T

[Brad Dorsey]

Craig,

I visit here occasionally. I much prefer the other forum and I miss you there.

Brad Dorsey

[Chet Bishop]

This place doesn't engage in quite as many vitriol-throwing attacks. Ten years ago, the other place didn't either. Some of us are unwilling to continually endure the noise while searching for the signal.

[Craig Tucker]

This place doesn't engage in quite as many vitriol-throwing attacks. Ten years ago, the other place didn't either. Some of us are unwilling to continually endure the noise while searching for the signal.

Absolutely.

Brad,
One thing I recall from posting here in the past; things are kept on an even keel - without the type of crap Chet is mentioning. For me, that's more enticing than the mess that some sites have either evolved or devolved into.

Probably, I will post here and at the Luscombe site, while I still like to post period.
If they change into the same mess other sites seem to have, eventually I'll just stop posting period.
But the attitude here seems pretty stable, and attractive.

My feeling is that as many things of interest get discussed here, the population will also be here. Probably it just takes a few posters with large enough bocas...

[John E Giarrizzo]

Craig, Chet,

Amen. Well said.

Although there are some fine contributors at that/those "other place(s)" --- Why they are willing to tolerate all that contentious "s**t" is beyond me. Many have been chased away who had much to contribute. It's not pleasant getting that "stuff" all over you. One of my favorite sayings --- has kept me safe many times: "A bulldog can beat up a skunk, but is it worth it?"

This was from my first post on MIMF, and it still holds true. Thanks to Charlie and Deb, who established and protect MIMF's personality:

09:33pm Aug 16, 2001 EST (#1 of 27) Hello all. I just found this sight and have been lurking for a while. The best forum I have encountered. Very professional and civil. Thanks for the help I've already received.

P.S. Craig --- I do have a very largeeeeeenough boca --- too large --- gets me in trouble sometimes. <bg>